Creating Caring & Capable Boards – Reclaiming the Passion for Active Trusteeship

Written for board members, nonprofit executives, and leadership consultants, Creating Caring and Capable Boards presents a new and proven model of board leadership--one that can be used to educate boards and staff in the philosophy of service. This leadership model can also serve as a framework for implementing strategies more effectively. Based on more than ten years of practical experience, this step-by-step process can help new and experienced trustees to refine their understanding of the organizational mission while improving their ability to lead cohesively. Author Katherine Tyler Scott also explores the historical context of board service, explains the duties of board trustees, and offers straightforward exercises for real-world application.

For years, this approach was only available in workshops conducted by Trustee Leadership Development, Inc. Now boards and nonprofit teams can refer to a single, reliable source for thoughtful advice and the latest insights on trustee leadership. Much more than a guide, this groundbreaking book invites boards to renew their commitment to improving the social sector through caring and competent leadership.

"This book captures exquisitely the heart, mind, and spirit of leadership. With powerful insight and grace, Katherine Tyler Scott renews the fabric of American life in our communities; she shows us how we can recover that which is most precious and vulnerable in our society--trust. Creating Caring and Capable Boards will inspire anyone seeking to create meaning and value through leadership. It's a must read!"--Ronald A. Heifetz, director, Leadership Education Project, Harvard University

"This is not an ordinary book on board development. Katherine Tyler Scott focuses her work on concepts of 'trust' in trusteeship, exploring the meaning of both 'being held in trust' and 'holding in trust.' This book will aid organizations in probing beneath the surface of board work to build leadership based on the convergence of personal and organizational values."--Eugene R. Tempel, executive director, Indiana University Center on Philanthropy

"Katherine Tyler Scott has given us a valuable, practical book filled with wisdom that demonstrates how the vision, depth education, and foresight of the board as well as its commitment to the organization's mission are critical to success. This is a comprehensive book that should be read by anyone seriously considering service on any board!"--Larraine Matusak, senior leadership scholar, Burns Academy of Leadership, University of Maryland, and president, LarCon Associates

"At the heart of Katherine Tyler Scott's work with boards of trustees is a simple but compelling principle: 'trustees' must be people who are able to 'hold in trust' the organizations they serve&mdash'if they wish to serve them well. During a decade of distinguished work with organizations of many sorts, Tyler Scott and her colleagues have shown time and again how that principle can save us from the misuse, and abuse, of trustee power--and bring institutions into a deeper alignment with their highest purposes. This book will help extend the power of authentic trusteeship to the many institutions that need to grow toward fuller forms of service to the society."--Parker J. Palmer, author of Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation and The Courage to Teach